French Ambassador to Australia to return, but friendship between countries ‘remains to be seen’

France will need to ‘revise everything’ when the Ambassador returns to Canberra, as the fallout from the AUKUS submarine deal continues.

The French Ambassador has warned that despite his return to Australia, Canberra must work hard to repair the damage it caused to the relationship between the two countries.

In his first interview since he left Australia, Jean-Pierre Thebault said his return shows that France is “absolutely ready” to put things back on track, but whether the nations are friends again “remains to be seen”.

Mr Thebault was returned to Paris last month after the Australian Government forged a new deal to obtain nuclear submarines through the AUKUS partnership, in the process scrapping the $90 billion deal it had made in 2016 with the French government.

France responded with fury, recalling its ambassadors from both Washington and Canberra amid claims it had been “stabbed in the back”.

France's Ambassador to Australia, Jean-Pierre Thebault will return to Canberra after his recall in the fallout of the submarine deal Picture: Newswire/Gary Ramage

On Thursday, the French Foreign Minister confirmed Mr Thebault would return to Australia to “redefine” the relationship with Australia and “firmly defend” France’s interests.

Speaking to Radio National on Friday, Mr Thebault threw another punch at the Australian government, calling their lack of consultation with France “childish”.

“(Whether we are friends again) remains to be seen. That is exactly the reason for which I have been instructed to come back,” Mr Thebault said.

“Our relationship was not only about a contract and that is exactly the problem. That has created a breach of trust and the crisis between our countries is that this was only the tip of a much deeper co-operation.

“Cancelling all that without any warning, without any previous discussion, without minimum decency of talking to your ally is creating a deep crisis. We’ll have to revise everything.

“ … What has happened, the way it was managed, is a serious breach of trust and that needs to be repaired.”

Scott Morrison said on Thursday he still hadn’t spoken to French President Emmanuel Macron.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Thursday that while the relationship with France was “bigger than a contract”, he still hadn’t spoken to French President Emmanuel Macron.

“That time will come,” he said.

Mr Thebault said the process of rebuilding trust “would take time”, but his return to Canberra was a sign that France was committed to trying.

Malcolm Turnbull says his successor Scott Morrison has tarnished Australia’s reputation. Picture: Supplied

Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told RN the reputation of Australia had been “trashed”.

“The best I can say to (French President Emmanuel Macron) and to others in France is: we may have a deceitful Prime Minister, but believe us, we are not a deceitful nation,” Mr Turnbull said.

“Morrison should have sat down with the French … and had an honest and open conversation.

“Now, the reality is (Scott Morrison) has absolutely damaged Australia’s reputation for being trustworthy. He’s alienated France – an important partner and ally. He’s undermined the Australian shipbuilding industry, he’s resulted in a much larger capability gap.”

Originally published as French Ambassador to Australia to return, but friendship between countries ‘remains to be seen’